After a break for the month of July, the NWSL has returned to action with its annual rivalry weekend, featuring the SoCal Derby between the San Diego Wave and Angel City. It was a tight match this year, hosted at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California, in front of a rowdy 15,000 fans. Both teams notched last-minute goals, ending the game in a 1-1 tie—similar to their first matchup of the season, which also finished 1-1—and further fueling their rivalry. 

For San Diego Wave forward Makenzy Robbe, the match was more than a game, but a full circle moment. The SoCal native entered as a substitute in the 67th minute, and scored just 17 minutes later in the 84th minute, sending a soaring ball to the top corner of the net, igniting the home crowd. 

“It means so much being from here and being able to represent the place I grew up,” Robbe said. “To girls in the stands, just keep at it, practice hard, and also have fun with it. I mean that’s one thing I look back on is all of those memories I made with my teammates and kind of those connections you build and relationships you build. It's been an awesome experience.”

Beyond the scoreboard, the SoCal rivalry match was a powerful showcase of representation, allowing girls in the stands to firsthand see a future for themselves on the pitch. The SoCal Derby was proof of possibility for these young athletes, showing them a tangible pathway from youth soccer to the professional stage. For players like Robbe, this wouldn’t have existed when she was growing up. 

Four years ago, the NWSL didn’t have any California teams. Just a few years later, 15,000 passionate fans came out to support two Southern California teams. The night was a reminder of how far women’s soccer has come, and how much farther it can continue to go with the next generation. 

The passionate crowd and fans feels like a celebration of the growth of women’s soccer and women’s sport as a whole. “It’s awesome every time they show up. It was an unbelievable atmosphere tonight, we love and appreciate our fans” said midfielder Kristen McNabb. Robbe echoed this sentiment, adding “the fans are our 12th man.”

For the young girls watching in the stands, the message was clear: keep playing, working hard, and believing, and the field is yours to take.